Northeastern Illinois University vs. Defiance College

Should I go to Northeastern Illinois University or Defiance College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northeastern Illinois University or Defiance College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Northeastern Illinois University vs. Defiance College comparison
Northeastern Illinois University Defiance College College 3 College 4
Northeastern Illinois University
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Overview

Northeastern Illinois University Defiance College
Location Chicago, IL Defiance, OH
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,504 511
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #736
Religious Affiliation - United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website neiu.edu defiance.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northeastern Illinois University Defiance College
Tuition (In State) $10,343 $37,978
Tuition (Out of State) $20,686 $37,978
Room & Board $10,742 $12,138
Avg Net Price $14,669 $24,098
Avg Grant Aid $12,560 $25,302
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 99%

Admission

Northeastern Illinois University Defiance College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,481 1,546
Admitted 5,971 656
Acceptance Rate 70.4% 42.4%
Enrolled % 9.3% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.12
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 15/21 17/23
SAT Range 810/1010 860/1110
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Northeastern Illinois University Defiance College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

Northeastern Illinois University Defiance College
Graduation Rate 23% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $149 $279

Diversity

Northeastern Illinois University Defiance College
% Men 9% 5%
% Women 18% 4%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 33% 80%
% Black 10% 8%
% Hispanic 37% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Northeastern Illinois University Defiance College
% In-State 98% 66%
% Out-of-State 1% 31%

Campus

Northeastern Illinois University Defiance College
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northeastern Illinois University is larger than than Defiance College based on total student enrollment (5,504 students vs. 511 students)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. Defiance College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern Illinois University or Defiance College?

  • Defiance College is 267.2% more expensive to attend than Northeastern Illinois University for in-state tuition ($37,978.00 vs. $10,343.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.6% higher at Defiance College than Northeastern Illinois University ($37,978.00 vs. $20,686.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern Illinois University than Defiance College ($14,669 vs. $24,098)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern Illinois University are 13% lower than costs at Defiance College ($10,742 vs. $12,138)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Defiance College than Northeastern Illinois University (99% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Defiance College students is 101.4% larger than aid received Northeastern Illinois University ($25,302 vs. $12,560)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. Defiance College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northeastern Illinois University or Defiance College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Defiance College or Northeastern Illinois University .

  • The average SAT score at Defiance College (984) is 114 points higher than at Northeastern Illinois University (870)
  • Incoming Defiance College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (18)
  • Accepted freshman Defiance College students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.12) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (3.1)
  • Northeastern Illinois University has a higher acceptance rate (70.4%) than Defiance College (42.4%)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. Defiance College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northeastern Illinois University or Defiance College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Defiance College and Northeastern Illinois University.

  • The graduation rate at Defiance College is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (51% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Defiance College earn on average $3,700 more per year than Northeastern Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($43,700 vs. $40,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $12,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Defiance College graduates. ($14,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $130 less per month on federal student loans than Defiance College graduates. ($149 vs. $279)
  • More Defiance College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 56%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/